A method of the generic type described supra is already known in the art. Reference is made to the German publication document DE 10 2012 208 554 A1 This document describes a method for planning and performing ground compression, in particular for asphalt compression. The document relates to the issue how a particular section of a roadway can be processed by a compression device in a particularly effective manner. Thus, the document proposes, among other things, to provide the compression device with a GPS module which enables the compression device to capture data regarding its current position.
Based on this position data, the known compression apparatus is furthermore configured to run along a predetermined path autonomously, wherein occasional interference by an operator is required according to the disclosure.
The known method has the disadvantage that the entire path that shall be covered by the compression apparatus has to be captured and predetermined before autonomous operations of the compression apparatus start so that the compression apparatus can follow this path. This method is disadvantageous in particular for large surfaces that often occur in large construction sites and for uneven outer circumferences of boundaries of the respective surface since it can be associated with considerable complexity to completely plan each movement of the compression apparatus before autonomous operations.
Furthermore, DE 199 83 437 T1 discloses a method to define a circumference of an area that is to be processed by a mobile machine. This method includes several method steps, wherein a circumference of the area to be processed is entered manually in a first method step. Thus, a position determination device is initially moved to various characteristic points of a circumferential path of the area to be processed and a position query is respectively performed at the characteristic points. This way the positions of several points are captured which jointly define a circumference of the area to be processed after completing the first method step. After entering the data, a software proposes an advantageous operating mode, this means an operating path for processing the area thus defined. Processing the area is then performed autonomously, wherein, the respective machine is enabled to continuously check its position relative to the area to be processed using the position determination device.
The known method has its disadvantages since capturing the circumferential path of the area to be processed is time consuming and complicated.